Every Sunday when I go out for my routine long run I ask my legs and lungs if they want to be faster. Sometimes I have a mind chatter during my training and asks if my mind thinks it can run faster and stronger. The mind needs to work with my body and vice versa but even on days that my legs are weak and fatigue, my mind seems to be able to tell the legs off and get them to run a little faster. But not the other way around. My mind is the boss. If the boss doesn't want to run, no matter how strong my body feels it will not run. It's like a control room. A lot of people say that running is 50/50 mind and body but I believe mine is more like 65/30/5 mind, body and environment. I have wanted to achieve a 2:15 PB half marathon 2 weeks ago but I just didn't have the mind power. On race day, my body was able and ready but somehow I got too distracted and not being focussed. On the other hand I was rather confident that I will be able to finish it without too much struggle because my training has been going rather well this year without any major injuries. I believed that my cardiovascular fitness was up to the task but I was wrong. I was struggling after 14km and when 18km came I just threw in the towel and just finish the race for the sake of finishing it. Not good. I have never felt that way in a race before.
There's no point to cry over spilt milk and I just need to do better in less than 8 weeks.If you have been reading my blog for a while, you will realise that I have been training under the FRST programme, although not religiously. There are some days that I just couldn't cope with the intensity of the programme and I have to accept what I can get. I have less than 8 weeks to go until the Auckland Marathon which is the main event for me. I really, really want to achieve 2:10 and beyond.
I did a calculation and it said that I have to run an average of 6:10 min/km to achieve my goal which is quite ambitious because it means I have to run an average of 39 sec/km faster. I think it's going to be challenging but not impossible. I just have to try harder.
| Goal: 21.1 km in 2:10:00 9:55 min/mile (6:10 min/km) | |
| SPLIT | ELAPSED TIME |
| 1 km | 6:10 |
| 2 km | 12:19 |
| 3 km | 18:29 |
| 4 km | 24:39 |
| 5 km | 30:48 |
| 6 km | 36:58 |
| 7 km | 43:08 |
| 8 km | 49:17 |
| 9 km | 55:27 |
| 10 km | 1:01:37 |
| 11 km | 1:07:46 |
| 12 km | 1:13:56 |
| 13 km | 1:20:06 |
| 14 km | 1:26:15 |
| 15 km | 1:32:25 |
| 16 km | 1:38:35 |
| 17 km | 1:44:44 |
| 18 km | 1:50:54 |
| 19 km | 1:57:04 |
| 20 km | 2:03:13 |
| 21 km | 2:09:23 |
| 21.1 km | 2:10:00 |
I also need to work harder on my mental strength - to face adversity during a race to not panic when I feel pain or keeping myself motivated when I realise I am not going to reach my goal time.
When I feel deflated I try to picture Jillian Michaels yelling "When you think you don't have it, you have to dig deeper!!". But I think that trick is wearing off on me now. I need something else.
What do you tell yourself when you are in pain during a race or training run?
How do you motivate yourself to keep pushing when you know that you won't reach your target time?
How do you keep your focus during a race or bad training day ?
2 comments:
If I'm hurting during a training run, I usually manage to push through it. I tell myself, "IF it doesn't kill you, it will only make you stronger". Finishing the workout is the key to getting faster. When something goes wrong during a race on the other hand, I have a tendency to fall apart, if I know I'm not going to make my goal time, my whole world comes falling down.
It always amazes me how much this happens to other runners as well and then to read about what others do/think in the face of adversity really helps face the challenges. Knowing that it's just one of those things that is part and parcel of running does give it a new perspective.
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